Better Support for Point and Connection Line Subtypes

[jcarlson]

Maybe this is more of a bug than an "idea", but something that might warrant looking into.

I added subtypes to our Points and Connection Lines, in order to enforce certain domains and attribute rules. When I add the fabric service to a new map, it brings in the Point and Connection Line subtype group layers, but with no subtype layers in them.

I can use the Add Preset → Subtype Group Layer tool to bring it in after, but certain Parcel Fabric tools, such as "Merge Points", will not recognize the subtype group layers as a valid points layer.

For now, I have been adding the Points and Connection Lines layers as regular layers, then symbolizing by the subtype field, and everything seems to work as expected that way.

I understand that something like Merge Points won't work across two separate TOC entries, so the subtypes will always be a problem there, but perhaps at least getting the subtypes to come in on the initial import of the fabric? Or to ignore the subtype and bring it in as a standard layer? Anything but the empty layer I'm getting now.

[AmirBar-Maor]

@jcarlson 

I see two potential issues:

1. When adding a point feature class with subtypes or connection lines with subtypes they should not have empty symbology. Since we are loading a preset LYRX from "C:\Program Files\ArcGIS\Pro\Resources\LayerTemplates\ParcelFabric\en-US" we will look into modifying the default layer template.

2.  The Merge Point should work with a point layer that has subtypes. How? TBD. Input welcome.

[jcarlson]

@AmirBar-MaorSounds great, thanks!

Just to be clear, it's not simply that they have empty symbology, but the subtype group is empty, and there ends up being no layer in my TOC that points at the Points or Connections services at all.

I took a look at the layer templates, but I can't see where the .lyrx file addresses subtypes. With parcel features, for instance, I have some parcel layers with subtypes and some without. All of them come in correctly, and with the default template applied. The subtype parcels are all added to their respective subtype group layer, and none are missing.

It would seem to me that it's something that happens when Pro is adding the fabric service to the map, that it encounters subtypes and applies the .lyrx to each subtype. I am admittedly a bit out of my depth here, though.

As to the Merge Points issue, perhaps at least getting the tool to recognize the subtypes as valid points layers would be enough. Again, looking at parcel subtypes as an example, if I attempt to use the Merge tool on two parcels of different subtypes, the tool merely prompts me which layer I am trying to use the tool in, but does not allow merging across subtypes.

Something similar in the Merge Points tool would be ideal, I think.

Currently, here's what I see when I try to use the tool on a point subtype layer:

[AmirBar-Maor]

@jcarlson 

As you have noted to add a subtype layer you go to the Preset layers and add it.
For parcels, we put extra work to make sure that a subtype preset layer is added when subtypes are detected. 

But we didn't implement that additional behavior for lines, connection lines, and points.

[AmirBar-Maor]

With ArcGIS Pro 2.7.2 the Parcel merge points will support layers with subtypes.

With ArcGIS Pro 2.8 any parcel class including points, connection lines and parcel lines that have subtypes will be assigned with a subtype group layer when a parcel fabric is added to a new map.

[AmirBar-Maor]

Planned for ArcGIS Pro 2.8

[KoryKramer]

Fixed/implemented in ArcGIS Pro 2.8.

See Ideas in ArcGIS Pro 2.8 and (0:23) in the video.